Knitting-machine.



F. WLCMB.

KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLIGATIGN rILnD PEB. 4, 1909.

Patented June 23, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

d?" We M- rea/K @@m #first F. WILCOMB.

KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATmN FILED PBB.4.1909.

Patented June 23, 1914 2 SHEETSvSHEBT 2.

iinrrnnsrarns PATETOFFE FRANK-WILCOMB, or Noxnrs'rowN, PENNSYLVANIA, As'sIGNon, BY MEsNnAs'smnmENrsj'ro Emaux. MANUFACTURING co., or rAwrUcKET, RHODE IDIITI'ING-MACHINE.

Speclcation of Letters Patent.

Patentedv J une23,

Application tiled February 4, 1909. Serial Noztlozfi.

' -To all 'who-m it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK' WILcoM,4

'. citizenof theUnited States, residing at'Nor- 'ristowm Pennsylvania, have invented cer.-AA

tainnew and useful Improvements in Knitting-Machines, of which the'following is a specification.

My present invention is an improvement` upon that disclosed in application for Let- Aand combination and arrangement of parts' ters Patent ofthe UnitedStates, led by me Nov. 19, 1906, Patent No. 1,054,067, dated Feb. 25, 1913, and it consists in the features hereinafter described and particularly pointed out -n theclai-ms. ,y

In the accompanying-drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional. view through my improved knitting'head.' Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the knitting head. Figs. 3 to 10 are ,views' of details'.

. Iisjthe needle cylinder, 2 the independentlysliding sinkers, 3 the-independently fsliding web holders and4 and 5 the cams for the sinkers and web'holders respectively.

-The' presser plate or wheel 6 operates within Athe needle circle, andforces the needles v7 voutwardly beyond ,their normal plane against the inner edge of a presser rlng 8, 1n'

the pressing action, for casting off the old loops. This ring is interposed between the sliding sinkels and sliding 'web holders and affords` plain vvground and hardened bearing Asurfaces therefor, a cover for the web holders, and as it has upwardly and downwardly grooved parts 9, 10, Fig. 7, it affords guiding means for both the sliding'sinkers and web holders .near their nose ends. These sinkers and web `holders are also guided in their beds 1l, 12, near their outer ends.' These beds are attached together at 13 and their attached portions rotate in the channel of the fixed frame ring 14, which is supported on posts, Fig.- 1, .and's separated from the l needle cylinder by'a free space 15 which is bridged by the wel) holders` the .nose ends of which find :inaccurate bearing on the ground and hardened plam upper edge of the' needleeylinder. -The sinkers are furi* ther guided hy grooves on a cover ring 13' engaged by" thel upper edge of the sinkers.

This prevents the snkcrs from tilting over out of plumb andthe guiding means described renders it possible to employ a large number of needles, sinkers and web holders tothe inc-h for ne gage work. This cover tering on theradial sinkersand web-.hol-d-".v Y

ers respectively, and being carried varolvinti inthe revolution o'the machine ,byengage-j ment with the web holders and sinkers which rotate said plates by their engagement therewith. The cover plate also protects the sink-v `ers from accumulations of lint, dust 'or`oil,`.

andthis Plate in turn isfcovered by a ,thin sheet metal cover V16 which is fixed in 'position and protects the movable cover plate 13' on which lint mightotherwise collect and rolled up into balls by passing under the fixed. arms 17 of the presser wheels, which would eventually find their way into the needles andsinkers and produce a. smash up..,75

Accumulations of dust, linto'r bunches are.' also free to pass out from the needlesilief:

Death the edge of the presser ringand fau away from the fabric through the freefs'pace' 15 beneathl the web holders. 4 As above stated, the sliding web "holders" are guided in grooves near their nose ends formed in a depending flange or rim of the encircling presser ring 8.A This depending' rim performs a double function, that o guiding the web holders by "their upper edges, thus preventing tilting and thereforeA rendering it possible to employ a large nuin-y ber to the inch for fine gage work, and also affording downwardly projecting teeth lo-v cated between the web holders against which the beard is pressed and held for a long period in its-pressed position by the presser wheel or plate, until the hook of the spring needle has passed through the old loop sui'fciently far to insure the casting off of the oldv loop and prevent mispressing. Guiding slots for the web holders` at their nose ends, 1 f i sinkers and web holders and the same true E the upper edge of the c linder and by this the web holders and sin ers will be' 1'10 than is possible where reliance i's hadonly l. he ld more accurately tothe desired level upon the bottoms of milled slots.

The sliding .web holders present theadvantage that 'they can be readily removed and Vreplaced by moving them radially inwardlv or outwardly as the case may be,

Y .they being. simply slid through thespace 18 Fig. 2 in their cams. The web holders coact with ,a clearer plate 19 in controlling `the 'fabi-ic, said plate being'on the inside of the needle row adjacent the presser wheel or plate, wlth which vit coperates. It '1s carried by an arm 20`fixed at 21 to the fixedheadorcam ring 14 secured 'at' 14" upon .the fixed ring 14. The'clearer plate is bent or curved toconform to the top of the cylinder.` It smoothes down the "fabric passing undr it and removes any` bunches or lint and prevent-s it. -from reaching the presser plate or wheel and causing a -jam' there, and furthermore it 'removes all obstructions liable to cause Vbending or jam:

'ming of sinkers, needles onwel; holders, and

facilitates the work of renewing the knitting operation, when for instance, a part of the work has run oft' the needles or a holehasvr Y, occurred in the fabric the saitplate. foreing the fabric downwardly and away .'"om

is directly adjacent vthis plate anda. support insurinv even loop lengths.

. the needles even though atake 'up is not used. A I The clearer plate has an edge inclining downwardly and forwardly in the direction of movement ofthe fabric, when-used in`a.

machine of the rotary cylinder type, as-n the present illustration of my invention,

whereas in the otherorixed cylinder'type of machine it` may be saidto incline -bac wardly in relation to the direction of rotation of itselfand other parts, butin both' cases its downwardly inclined edge; extends to such a point in 'relation tothe presser 'plate or Wheel as to smooth down.. the fabric and clear 'it of all obstructions',-

prevent-ing them from reaching -the presser device. A l' i This clearer plate'has'an upward extension lying close to the needles to push into ali'nement any bent needle, and the edge of the plate next to the fabric or needle advancing in the arrow direction Eig'. 3,

.curves downwardly as above stated to direct any lumps or lint down andwaway from the presser wheel, needles, sinkers andl web holders. The threadA feeding eye-23 24. is supported, by the arm 20, on the-inside of the needle row to support the hook end of the needle when it is receiving the thrust'.

of the sinkers'in measuring-off the thread for the new loops, this support truingjup any needles which may be slightly bent and This support Has a Aared or curved end at 25`to receiveany necdles`wh1ch may be slightly bent.

through one of the arms .snippo'rtsQA The .web holder This support lies between the forward end of the clearer V'plate and the presser. The pressenu'hCelOr plate is carried by a block 2G slidable on the arm 17 and carried byv a screw stein 2T. by which the block together with the 'presser wheel' maylbe ad]uste d' manually, it heilig 'automatically' adjustable or' ielding byfaspring .28 bearing en the b ook. The screw stem is slidably mounted in its bearings. The screw stem may be locked in adjusted-position by a detent 29 piv'qted'to the arm lvand engaging notches-ina` .finger wheel 30 fixed on the scrmvstem. The spring 28 may be adjusted as'tdtensionV by turning thevnger Wheel 3l lwhich is'also locked 'in adjusted positionY bythe deteu't29,"A which is' pressed by the spring'l". The presser wheel may be held retracted-to discontinuo its use or the use of a .singlefeed in' a multiple fced machine,

by sunply drawing on the linger wheel 30 until disengaged from'its dctentandthen v -turning thefinger wheel so that the solid part thereof between the notches will enga'gethe end 'of the detent, thus holding 'the presser device out of action.

The sinker cam of each feed is adjustableA ing through t ie split block 33 whichis secured at34. to the ring 35. The compound bolt engages the bloei: 36 which by a screw -37 passing through 'thel radial' opening'a 38 is connected with the sinker cam .4

For moving the .ring aholc isprovided at-4l. and three holes 'at 42 so that v usin .a lever having pins Lo' enter .the hole-'41 an either one of the holes 42 the ring may be turned,-A and when'in the desired position- 'individually b thecompound bolt 32 pass- `the pointv 34. can' have no radial movement.

it may-beheld 'by a vset s'crew 43passing 17fto the presser cam may be ad- -j usted by the screw 47".

The sinkrcam ringlt is formed in sections asv shown in F 1g.. 2, one4 section for each feed. Each section has its own cams, presser, clearer plate, thread'guide, needle support, and sinker cam adjusting means and the ring 35A is also formed in sections one for each feed. By removing a cam rin secti'on the sinkers are rendered access'ib e for removing `and-replzfrcing.. The sections of clearer, thread.

mem A ethe'ring35- are-'connected together by the `'links 43"- h'eld by the screwsA andy dowels 4 5, 'and by thegcnstruction described any sinker' camsection may be removed from the machineand' replaced :without destroy ing the-adjustment of any of the. parts car riedd thereb The 'web older cam rin lis .also` `formar 'in sections 46, one of whic is `showndx'i Fig; 10 and thesesections a're removably lield: by the-'bolts 157A to the'fixed --frame on'camring'. y ;Itv will be"ob's'erved that 'the web holder #cem rin being attached to thelow'er or inner` si e' of they main frame ringis practf i 1 -.5. cally-as' readily accessible as -thesinker cam ring2.-.'lhe two1 sectional cam rings lie at the .to'pand bottom of the frame rin re-l v 'spectively, with the sinkersand web ho ders between them and' any section of either ring l' 20l may .bereadily removed without`A dismantling the machine or removing parts as both rings'are. exposed and accessible;

Fig. 2 shows only one section ot thec'am" ring completely equipped with presser, guide andneedle support, but each sectionlis to be provided with these devices. For nvenience of illustration the sinker' cams al'd web holderv cams are shown inF ig. 2in dotted lines on adjacent sections vg of thccam rings.

Y Atjthepointwhere Athe pressing is done the webA holder cam is' provided with a recess or'vreceding edge at 5x s'o that the web holders may' recede and thus prevent cutting .35' the fabric when theneedles are pressed outwardly from their normal plane against the presserring. Iprefer to make this cam with its' o uter or back edge as shown'to positively retract or move outwardly the web f 40 holders'at the pressing point.

Theyconstructon 'described wherein the running'- arts move in grooves or chambers eiiablest e'parts t0 he freely bathed in oil without (langer of any oil reaching the fabi I 'iconthe inner side of'the cylinder. The

free space 15 intervening between the cylin- V der and the cam ring contributes largely to' this as any oil assing out from the groove l '12* in which Lie attached portions of the sinker and web holder beds travel will fall down through'the space 15 and the nose end of 'theweb holders will be keptenti rel y free of oil.

It will be observed that the sinker covering ring 13 is undercut, that it is provided with guidegrooves or. teeth only at its inner portion, the undercut part being in length greatly in excessof the travel of the sinkers, so that oil is not carried from the cam to the shallow groove and thence to the nose of the sinker and fabric. The sinker is Aalso undercut andso is the presser ring forming channels for instancev at 48 of greater width than the length of travel of the sinker or web holder so that the travel of theseparts will 'fail to carry the oilacross the-channels. 65

Thea presser rin while rovided with; th e channels on botil faces, as the pliatinrilat,l upperand-lower faces for the guidance ot' the sinlrersA and web holders. -v i 2 ji 1 -The needlesV are operatedl b` j jacksgS* 7.0 sldable in. slots-49'l of a. need eA ea'g'e," tliel lj; lowerlpnds of the metal stripsu() formiiigj' 'le'. the cage being-set in`a ring 51-seeured` to the revolving base .ring 52 to "whicl1 the lneedle I cylinder iS attached Both the-'needle ,and .7 5 jacksare guided both y the Vcyli'ri l er grooves and. by the cage' grooves; i; i The cage is braced by a ring 53 abit-stop. The needleicams are carried by sections tipping. The needles and jacks are notfiXedf to each other but en age cach ,tlier"emova an then the needles. f Y w f Figs. l and 5, having a flange 59 engaginga' notch in the post 60 to which the.camfiS;.- S cui-ed'. The flange of the screw is notched so that the o eratorcan tell ustliow farph'e is adjusting t e cams and ma re it agreewith the adjustment, of the other cams, aspring; 61 engaging the notchcssuccessively as the v. screw is turned and thus enablingtheopera'f 105 tor to determine 'how'many pointsor steps hc is adjusting the cam; I'The po'st 60 is pressed upwardly by a'spring 62acting` on a i pin 63 having a flanged headA enga 'jng'a notch in the post 60. The cam cpa'iiity usv be adjusted up or down by operating the same Sci-ew 58. Many new effects flow fro'rilltlic use of Athe outer presser ring combinedwith'4 th(l sliding wel) holders asivi'll appear' from the foregoing and appended claini's.' 'j "f The rotating arts'are ar'raiige'dito' have running fits wit the parts within them-or which they surround, so that as-'tl'ie machine heats up the rotating part in expamling will" either expand equally withl thcipaitlon .which it runs, or will expandmore rapidly close running fit.

bly soV that the jac s can beremovedfirst A 95 Each needle cam is adj-usted holderbeds run in an-oil always in engagement` with grooves at their nose ends kntting machine, a cylinder,-

It be seen that the 'sinker andlweb ln tlIc fixed ring. or head 14, and the Same is true` of the base-flange or gear Aof the cylin-' nel 67.' Anyoil 'which overlio\vs"into the. grooves .'68 is carried to the oil pocket 69.

back by v The inventionis not 'limited ltoa rotary cylinder machine. Tl

vThe free space l5 is of particula'r .im-' connection with the .use of web` portance in holders. As is well known by those skilled in the arit, lint' dust, and oil. accu 1nulate within the web holder guide.ll grooves, in ordinary knitting practice, rcquiringfrequent dismantling of so Lmuch ofthe machine as will enable the operator to gain access to.and rcn|ove the' packed oil-soakcd lint. This packingr of the lint, d ust and oil in the grooves is; duc to the holdersareconstantly in -contact with the fabric and are. rubbing the fabric at each re Ciprocation with a colnparatively:.,-slow .motion. The fabric itself prevcnts-theescape of lint from the work end of the'xveb holder.v grooveis voo vcredv thereby. Furthermore the web holders are and thc groove, -a's the the cylinder and this 'adds toA the undesirable efectof lint accumulation. In, order to overcome this difficulty I ha\ve provided an open` or free space between` the cylinder and the 'web hlder-bed which is bridged by the web holdersandgwhich will permit thc escape of lint, dust-and oil from the web holders and allow `it to fall away from the machine,andat the'same'time this bridged arrangement of the 'web prevents oil from reaching the 'work end'of the web holders, the needles,"- nd .the fabric.

I claim as mymvcntiom-j 'v f l. In combination in aispring needle lng sinkers and sliding web.,holders, a n inprcsser, anouter A betweentheislidingsinkers,1 and web holders and having upwardly projecting teeth for guiding the slnkers and downwardly cprojecting teeth forguidjing 'the web hol ers,

In combination knitting machine with the'needles, sliding web holders and sinkers, the inner presser, and the outer-presser rin havin'gupwardl and downwardly-pijojectlng gldi 0' teetY and plain bearing surfaces one-on t etop` and the other on thebott`m for the Sinkers and web holders, substantially asdescribedf 3. In combination in a' circular spring needle knitting machine a cylinder, needles, radial sliding sinkers, and radially slidingweb holders, a toothed outer pressez-ring,

pocketV o'r grooveee eene e 1e rotary parts are driven through the vertical shaft G4 and the ersslidingbelow Athesaid presser presserring ser-ves asa cover,

and afact 'that Athe web having sinkers and Aweb holders :for removal, substantiallyr needles, slid-k l pressel'ring inte'l Sed -t.e cam norma y substantially as described.,

laid'on to the web holders and held and centered by its lower teeth engaging the same Aand affording by its u pper teeth guides. for

the smkersand 'a `forhgiiding thesinke ands laid thereon to e` e d needles, 'an .inner presser to press outwardly, an outer presser ring,

for which Said and supported by the needle cylinder, web holder can with meansI for sup the same'independently of the cylind) arranged with a free space below the web olders and betwecn,thecam support and v .ylinder, said presser ring ext` nding across `the said free space, substantially-as described. l i "f 5. In combination ina spring needle kn'itting'machine, a. cylinder, needles, an inner pressenan outer presser ring, web holders Vsliding against vthe under side of the presser outer bearingl for the running parts, saidpresser ringfand. web holders be- Apoint and having a space between them at another point-to .preventoil from reaching the fabric, substanorting tially as described. l' I In a spring'needle knitting machine holders, a needle cylinder, aframe ring encircling the cylinder witha free-space between, supporting posts for-the rame ringr spaced apart, sinker and webholder beds carried by the frame ring, a sectional cam ring for the sinkers exposedA free space onjthei'nner side of the frame covering ring having teeth 70 ll centered thereby, snbstantfia11uyf the needles web hold-,ff ring, and

er and ZlS'deSC A 4. "In combination in' a spring needle- Y 'knitting machine having needle grooves`,-`

the machine, and a sectional rlng, said sectional cam ring'being accessible as described.

Y n combination -in a knitting machine, the cylinder, needles, sliding sinkers, and cams,van adjusting ring therefor and a con-- nection between-the ring and each-cam, having its connectin out of-the same radialplane,but to be moved toward-andl` from said planeby o eratin the cam, su stantia y as described: niphinea cylinder, needles, `s1nkers, `efor,';' a "sectionalplatedcar ing said cams, sectional adjustingmeans. connected? together. -With-.meansafr l said sect-iena adjusting means;

In combination tting machine, needles, presser ring exterior to the needl presser interior in respect tothe cle, `and a clearer f 'a circular '-lmi e circle, a needle cuthe ring for adjusting,-A

comblnation ina circular knitting etnchably Oc a' cylinder, web holders, a

operating on' the inside of Y the needle circle `to. smooth downthe fabric points with the ringand Pese-ena on the inner side of the cylinder adjacent the interior presser, said clearer having a downwardly extending edge inclined toward the presser, substantially as described.

10. In combination in a circular knitting machine, needles, a cylinder, web holders, a presser ring exterior to the needle circle, a presser interior in respect to the needle cir ele, and a clearer operating on the inside of die needle circle t0 smooth down the fabric n the inner side of the cylinder adjacent he interior presser, said clearer having a ;-.m.'ion inclined to the path ot' the needles and lying' close thereto to even the same, substantially as described.

11. ln combination in a spring needle knitting machine a cylinder, needles, a-

presser, a .spring pressed support therefor, the manually operated adjusting device, com prising a. screw a notched disk thereon and a pawl to engage either of the notches to lock the presser or t' engage the portions between the notches i., hold the presser retracted, substantiallyv as described.

12. ln a knitting machine the` grooved needle cylinder, a surrounding cage, slotted to receive the needle Shanks and jacks which are also guided in the grooves of the cylinder and cage and a cam ring having a removable portion to permit the lateral removal of the jacks through the laterally Open slots of the cage, said needles and jacks being separable from each other by a lateral movement of the jack in respect to the needle through the slotted cage, leaving the needle to be removed. over the cage top, substantially as described.

13. In a knitting machine the grooved needle cylinder a surrounding cage grooved to receive the needle Shanks, jacks separable while the latter remain in their grooves, said jacks being guided by the cylinder and cage grooves, the jacks being removable through the grooves of the cage and .the needles over the top of the cage, substantially as described.

14. In combination in a knitting machine, a cylinder. needles, a needle cam, the post, the screw having the notched tlange engagl'ing the post, a spring engaging the notched flange and a spring for pressing the post upwardly, substantially as described.

15. In combination in a spring needle knitting machine, the needles the inner presser, the outer presser ring, the web holders located outside the needle row and the web holder earn also outside the needle row and having a recess opposite the pressing point to permit the web holders to recede outwardly when the pressing is done.

16. In combination in a spring needle knitting machine, the outer presser ring, the inner presser. the web holders and the web holder cam, having a recess opposite the pressing point to permit the web holders to recede when the pressing is done and having a portion for positively withdrawing the web holders at the pressing points.

17. In combination the inner presser. the outer pressing ring undercut on 'both faces and sinkers and web holders sliding on said the sinkers.

In testimony whereof, I atiix my signature in presence of two witnesses. i

FRANK WILCOMB.

Witnesses:

WALTER DONALDSON, NINA S. Rime.

from the needles by a lateral movementv faces, and means for guiding and operatingV 

